First experience with Moringa (oleifera) tea was from a box found in a home-goods discount store. I didn't expect much, but was happily surprised once I actually tried it. Being such a powerhouse as far as nutritional value was the main drae, but it was also so tasty, earthy, warming and fulfilling that I reached out to the Canadian business that made it in order to try to get more with no luck. The company was no longer producing that tea.
Luckily for us, we live in California, 1st or 2nd home to many Filipinos resulting in small mom & pop shops offering goodies like 'Malunggay (Moringa oleifera) tea and the bitter Lagundi (Vitex negundo) tea.
The true blessing arrived with my Auntie Jaquelyn who flew back from the Dominican Republic with some dried Moringa leaves sent by Blanco Pops Peña. Thanks again Pops!
The recent fame of Moringa has led to people in the Dominican Republic and many other countries as well being sold imitation, random plants trying to pass as Moringa thus resulting in sick and disappointed consumers. Plants in our countryside have been found chopped down to the stumps in the middle of the night as demand has been outpacing supply lately.
Tea box from Mom & Pop Filipino store in Milpitas, CA.
